Reply #24: Clark won't get 25% in NH

[Adjoran]

and Dean wouldn't be "knocked out" if he did.

The danger for Dean is the big lead he's built in NH. If he wins by a significantly smaller margin than forecast by the polls, that becomes the story. It's the old expectations game, enjoy your lovely parting gifts and thanks for playing.

New Hampshire voters love to surprise the media, and they have gotten good at it over the years. The polls rarely predict them accurately.

Dean can lose Iowa without being hurt, although a win would knock Gephardt out of it due to money shortages. The seven primaries on Feb 3 is a different matter. Nobody who doesn't win at least one of them, or finish second in four or more at least, won't be able to continue as a viable candidate.